The Supreme Court in Rajesh Das vs State Rep by Superintendant of Police II exempted former Tamil Nadu DGP Rajesh Das from surrendering in a sexual harassment case he was convicted in. Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal granted this exemption and asked for the state government’s response by July 12.
Until then, Das doesn’t need to surrender, as per the Court’s order on May 17.
The Bench considered Das’s plea for exemption from surrendering regarding a 2021 sexual harassment case involving a woman Superintendent of Police while on duty. The Madras High Court had previously declined to halt a sessions court’s decision upholding Das’s conviction and three-year sentence.
The incident occurred in February 2021 during security duties for then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s election campaign. The Villupuram Principal Sessions Court upheld Das’s conviction and sentence, leading to his appeal to the Supreme Court after the High Court’s refusal to exempt him from surrendering on April 23.
